How to Market Through Associations

Associations can deliver thousands of prospects to you with a few professional contacts and a balanced budget. Jeffrey Dobkin, author of “How to Market a Product for Under $500” sheds clear light on the value of how to market through associations. His business savvy can open this marketing arena for you.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Association directories

1. Realize reasons why. Associations are perfect vehicles for publicity through press releases. A well-placed news release to an association newsletter or magazine will alert an entire industry about your valuable products or services. Competition for news space is minimal since associations are not the main targets of traditional commercial marketers.
   
   Association publications are highly regarded within their sectors. Implied endorsement by their editors will lend credibility to your company. The comprehensive lists of over 23,000 associations penetrate deeply into most major and minor markets.
2. Research at lightning speed. Association directories will speed up your research process. Detailed information is available at your fingertips. You can quickly access size, annual budget, history, newsletter and publication details, meeting and convention dates, website, email address and leadership contact names.
3. Refer to the trade tool. The main reference tool for marketing to associations is the “National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States.” This 828 page manual is published annually by Columbia Books, Inc. Its companion guide, the “State and Regional Associations of the U.S." directory, is the perfect resource for targeting specific geographic areas and local association contacts.
4. Gather Gale data. According to Gale, 7 out of every 10 Americans belong to an association. The Gale Group publishes a comprehensive list of these associations in the “Encyclopedia of Associations.” The information is available on disk, CD and online through Lexis-Nexis. Your marketing plan will expand through detailed data on 23,000 local, state, national and international associations.
5. Finger walk the Yellow Book. Listing in “The Associations Yellow Book” requires that an association perform on a national level and have an annual operating budget of at least 1 million. This resource tool is your ticket to identify the top players in the association field. “The Associations Yellow Book” offers 1,400 plus pages of information and profiles 1,045 of the leading U.S. trade and professional associations.